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Date: 27th May 2005

Majorca

Hotel Alcudia Pins

Before I booked my holiday to Alcudia in Majorca, I did a thorough check of the hotel Alcudia pins, where I was going to stay. I was informed from different sources that the hotel was completely wheelchair friendly. So I set off to what I expected to be a “four star” relaxing two weeks resting in the sun, doing a little fishing. As I arrived at the hotel, at first glance it looked okay, and true enough there were ramps everywhere. We were shown to our room, and I was shocked to see that the ramp leading to my apartment block was very steep, but in true Yorkshire spirit I attempted it on my own just to make sure that I wasn't imagining it, and before my wife and daughter reached me, I set off up the ramp, suddenly my wheelchair tipped backwards and I fell out. I strained my left shoulder, and was helped back into my chair by my wife and daughter who had by this time arrived at my side. I had to rest for a while to recover from the shock, and I took a couple of pain killers, but luckily nothing was broken, but my shoulder was still painful. After a good few minutes struggle, my wife and daughter got me to what I was informed was an adapted wheelchair friendly room.

On entering the room I was clearly disappointed.

Although it had a few adaptations, the bathroom was far too small, as I could just scrape my wheelchair past the sink to get to the toilet.

The bedroom was so small that not only could I not get my wheelchair next to the bed, I couldn't get anywhere near the wardrobe to hang my clothes.

I was tired from the journey, so it was the sofa for me, and I decided to sort out the problems after I'd had a sleep.

Later I was helped down the ramp and decided with the help of my daughter, to explore the hotel before approaching the Airtours rep. I was surprised to find that although a couple of the ramps were a little steep, I could get around the hotel area and pool quite easily, but when it came to going for a meal, the ramp was again steep and slippery from sand that had blown in from the beach.

I approached the Airtours rep and gave him the facts, including that I had already fallen out of the wheelchair and hurt my shoulder. He was very helpful, and immediately came to look at the ramp to my room, and he even attempted to push me up the ramp without success. A few of the guests commented that the ramp was dangerous and required at least a grab rail on either side of the ramp for safety. The rep agreed and gave me a letter customer service form stating that he agreed that the ramp was not suitable for independent wheelchair users, and that assisted wheelchair users would require a strong carer to push them up the ramp, and he also wrote on the letter that I fallen out of the wheelchair whilst trying to ascend the ramp.

The rep stated that there was no other room available, and even if there was, each apartment block had a steep ramp to it. He asked if I would consider changing accommodation and I was informed that the only place nearby that would have rooms available was “Belle Vue Holiday Village.” He stated that we would go down a grade to a three star accommodation, but at least the hotel was wheelchair friendly, and it wouldn't spoil our holiday. Well it was clear that the Alcudia pins was not going to be any good for me as a wheelchair user, so after a chat with my family, we agreed to the change of accommodation.

The Alcudia Pins hotel is only for assisted wheelchair users

After some running around, faxes, telephone calls, the rep gave us the news that a room had been made available to us at the Belle Vue holiday village, and after ordering a large taxi and a shake of the hand for his assistance in the matter, we set off to our new hotel.

Read my report on Belle Vue Holiday Village http://www.btinternet.com/~mikeco158/bellevue.htm

Mike Coatesworth

Visit my other disability access pages

http://www.btinternet.com/~mikeco158/disaccess2.htm

http://www.btinternet.com/~mikeco158/disabacc.htm

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My novels can be seen at

http://www.btinternet.com/~mikeco158/onetear1.htm

http://www.btinternet.com/~mikeco158/cuppa1.htm

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